120 Gallon Reef Build

Just wanted to share a 120 gallon project that I am doing with my brother and girlfriend. We started setting up in April and have since made it through the cycle. We are using a standard 120 gallon (48X24X24) with a 40BR as our sump. The tank is not drilled so we are using an "overclocked" Eshopps 1800 overflow box. We are running a Reeflo Dart external pump that is moving around 2000GPH at 4' head.
We decided to go with a DSB of about 4". We started with 40 lbs of base rock and about 60 lbs of live rock. There are a little more than 200 lbs of sand (half live, half not - all live now!).
We plan on doing mostly SPS corals with other various accents.

One thing you might notice is that we are building this reef out to be viewable on both sides. We wanted to have TONS of room for fish to swim and for SPS to expand toward the light and outward in their natural growth habits. Is anyone else doing this? Is this really good? Really bad? Doesnt matter?! I don't see this too often in looking at other tank builds/pics.


Still have not put on a skimmer (we literally just finished cycling). That is the next step in the project and any suggestions on a good first skimmer are welcomed. Keeping in mind that we plan on buying the first with the knowledge that we will be replacing it with a Deltec in the Fall.

For light we are currently WAY under lit:-/ with a single 250 MH. We also plan on upgrading lights in the fall and likely will be going with LED's.

We also plan on adding an external refugium (possibly another 40BR? ) a little further down the line.

Any suggestions on how to improve, things to change, consider, or ponder would be very helpful as we are still kind of new to to this incredible hobby.

Thanks a ton to all of you 3reefers out there . . . you have helped me to START to learn so much!!! The more I am learning, the more I am realizing there is TO learn!!!

 

Good looking start, not many set up the tank to be viewable on both large sides but it is really cool when it is done. Best of luck. If you are upgrading in the fall find a skimmer on craigslist just buy one rated for a 240 gallon tank to keep your water pristine for your SPS.

Best of luck.

Welcome to 3reef.

 

looking like a nice set up can't wait to see updates as you proceed.

 

Awesome advise 2in10! I will def be looking used - I even know a few ppl in the area that deal almost exclusively with used equip.

 

Here are a couple of updated pics. I was at my LFS last night and saw what I believe is a "Bi-Color" Frogspawn - half of the tips are purple and the other half are bright green. I have seen purple and green by themselves, but never mixed on a single specimen - so for $60 I had to get it!!! Has anyone else ever heard of bi-color frogspawn before?

This pic is about 30 min after it was put in the tank and it was already 100% open within an hour of being moved.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

 

The frog spos is pretty unique. I like your aquascape btw too.

 

Looks good only thing I would have changed is that HOB overflow system I have a hunch it might bite you evenetually.

Nice frogspawn!

 

I see what you are saying about the overflow . . . but I really did not want to drill a tank that didnt come drilled from the manuf. Also - this is VERY easy to clean/maintain. It has been restarted a dozen or so times already and has flowed back down every time with no issue.
Hopefully it doesnt bite me in the butt later down the road!!!

 

Have you thought about removing that return manifold and adding a single return on the overflow side? This will make your tank more aesthetically pleasing IMO and then you can add a few PHs for flow. IMO, a return shouldn't be used for flow, at least not as the primary flow.

 

Guitarman - we did consider that when designing the system. It would look a lot nice to have the return on the same side as the overflow . . .but . . .

The reason i went with the number of heads (4 X 3" return nozzles) is that I was worried about creating more backpressure on the pump. It is pushing 2000GPH and to push that through a pair of 3/4" loclines didnt make me feel too warm and toasty.

I totally agree that flow should not come exclusively from the return pump. We will eventually be going with 4 PH that will tie into a central wavemaker.

For now, the flow is good enough to keep the tank healthy. Also, another big part of having the return on the opposite side of the overflow is that we have very good surface agitation that pushes most if not all the surface scum toward the skimming portion of the overflow box that is in the tank. The result is that even without a protein skimmer, and no other filtration during the cycle, there was no scum layer and is no scum layer on the tank.

No doubt it would look a world better not having that giant 1.5" return line and all those fittings, but they will eventually all be pointed up toward the surface and will no stick more than 2" down into the water of the tank.

Thanks for all the input!!!

K+ all around!